Method of reinforcing garments



'sept 16, 1952 H. KOPPE'. 2,610,327

METHOD O REINFORCING GARMENTS Filed March 24, 1948 amsnmemcaclesa.- i

Patented Sept. 16, 1952 UNITED- PATENT 121,610,327 f ivm'rnon kor nmNFoltclNGi ciAnis/rantes` .HymanaKoppeL ReverepMass; 'Apiihcatimimarelim, 1948,.,seria1 Nt.v 16,737

f '.Customarily', in making; a'y coat; 'the'-rear--ply of the lapelisintegral'wthahebreastportion ofthe coat imaterial. The .breast 'portiorr'of thee coat,

lined with' a"s`tiffening^" material, for 4instance, canvasifor' hair" cloth', and a. piece ofstrong vrein'- or'cing' tape isv arranged along the edger of-` the lapel portion overlying"'the stiiefng material -and, is' s ewed along' ea'cliA of its-edges `tothe `garment material. The frontrply` ofi'.Z ther-lapel is usually integralfwith .th'eifront `facingv of'` thecoat andis ofthesamemate'rial "asthegarmentproper. This front 'D15'. is Stitched fto 'therear'ply-of the lapel along its outer edge by"throughand through stitches which are usually thef'same stitches -which Yunite'pne edge Aoil-thetapetwthe rear ply -of'the lapel; l`Aftertlieeoppositeedgeof the tape hasbeen stitched'in piace, the parts` are turned 'so as 'to dispose the throughandithrough seam-'andtheilining andtape at 'the' inside of'the lapel. TheV Y'throu'gh-aIicl-tli'rotlgl1 44V'stitches are usually madeby a" straight'needle; whether-the 'operatiowbecar'ried out'byhand' 'or'f'byl a' sewing machine;v fThe stitches vwhich; anchor'fthe yopippsite; edgepfthe tapeinplace are blind stitches, orrii' 'they' 'were to'pass. 'completely 'through-the garmentfabric theywoul show n" theffinished garment on thefront" facac'thelapel. These blind; 'stitches maybemadeby hand 'oi'.byg a blind stitch'machine', but according-to prior'pra'ctice'the throu'gheand-:through seam' along one edge ofthe tape: is 4ilrst made, and then'the 'seam' which'unites thevotherl edgeV 'of the"tap'e to" 'the'garment' material is'made as a tseparate` and independent operation.`

The through' 'andfthroughi stitches-areusualltr qute`-1i-I 1e-lorl example; froxrir l2' to 14fto-tl'ie-V inch, whereas theblindstitch'es are coarsefstitches; for example* l` to thefin'ch. Since-fthe 'tape'iisfnrst 'attached` alongone of" itsr'edges by'fthe' ne throughand4throughf stitches;A and since-'the ylatterfarefmadef-withthe thread underfsubstantial tensioniftheresis a'tendencyfto'causefthe tapeito curr-ori twist* as a' resultoflthisist A"operation, and T inf making th'ef-blindf stit'cl'i'v seam; the tape must-beistraightenedse-aslto lie smooth and iat, otherwise :thelapel'wili 'notihavelthedesired' ne lyifinished` appearance.

. .They present 'invention f has?. forfaits-1 obj ect the formance :of lthereinforcingfoperationfmore exf 'peditiousl-ythan Y form'erly.- *Thu/s; according to 'thai-present'jinverrtion, thef'oppositeedges 4'of the reinforcetape'aresewed to' thegarmentmaterial simultaneously, one edge being securedifzby thi-ou ghandthrough stitches-passing complete ly through the garmentmateri'al; andfthe'other edge;- being f attached* by blind@'stitchesv passing through theJ tape, but onlyl part-away' through the 'combinedthickness of!- the stifening andfgarf ment materialjA Since the' throu'gl'i-and'through stitches are i finer*V (more tot theI inch) "thani' the blindjstitches, tlue^'invei1tiond contemplates" the formation'- o fiafsingle blind stitchz while a`l piur'alitye of Atlie thruugh'-andtlrirough'stitchesQ are being formed. Thus,` Vfor example;- if 'the' operation be' carriednutty-"machine, themechanism for actuating' thertwoneedles*must?bewscgeared as to provide the'desired'relatiyespeedio stitch formation -in making the two'seams: 4*If'theoperation be `carried'out by hand: thewop'erator will rst formf several (for-"example or ,4) ,'othe through'fand-through` stitches, andfth'en: witlra separate needle, willi form4m asingle one of-the blind stitchesyget.. In following"v this-procedure both edgesofthe tape are progressively anchored 'Y to the \garment"materia1^ as, tlre operation prov ceeds; andthus there "is'no chance-for ythe tape to` beunduly 'contracted along'oneF edgefscras-to Ycurl-or vtwist before ltsi'opposite edge'is`properiy anchored.

' While, as vabove's1 1ggested', Vthe .simultaneous seam formation'can be performedbyliand bythe use ofltwo, separate needles, it is V.coni-,ernialated thatitmay bec/carriedlout'by machine, and that for that purpose a. single. machine.. provi-ded with a .straight needle. and aen-med needleiwth. the usual concomitant sewing. machineelements or example, presser foot, ,tape feed., .bobbinor.lo.o.per, tensions, etc.) will vge... employed tiri, .performing the operaton.

.i In thef accompanying. drawings.; wherein vthe modey of procedure is diagrammaticallya illusf trated vby way of example: y

Figil lfis a fragmentaryplanfvi-ewfshowing r.the inside iof v thel :breast portion-Lof; a f-garmenurzindieating thesrear ply-ofi the lapel-.wi-ththestiffening canvas and; reinforcing tap51.1appled-1thereto,,in accordance-withithetpresentiini/'entiorri Figi 2 'isA aifragmentary.;transversefsection.on

a slightly different'arrangementpirstitches;z

. Figfzb fis 1a similar. view, illustratingmhe; ap-

plication ofc a reinforce-ltapevtoi asisiizfglerfthick'.-A

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary front view of the corner of the completed lapel;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary section, to very large scale, on the line 4-4 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary plan view, showing a piece of fabric having a reinforcing tape secured at its opposite edges to the fabric by a throughand-through stitched seam and a blind stitched seam, respectively, the seams being shown to large scale to illustrate a desirable form of blind stitching; and

Fig. 6 is a diagrammatic, fragmentary,V perspective view, partly in vertical section and to large scale, showing portions of a sewing machine designed for simultaneously stitching both edgesl of the tape.

Referring to the drawings, the numeral I desigw nates the material forming aportion of the breastv of a coat, a portion of the armscye being indicated at 2. The lapel portion is indicated generally at 3, this lapel portion having the upper edge 4, the corner 5, and the downwardly extending edge 6. Y

In Fig. 1 the inner surface of the material I is shown, and, in the making of a coat'or similar garment, it is usual to apply stilfening material l, for example, a ply of canvas or hair cloth, to the inner surface of the garment material which is to form thevlapel, this front ply of the lapel usually being integral with the material forming the breast portion of the garment. This reinforcing canvas 'I is securedto the garment material, with its edge close to the edge of the garment material, by blind stitches (some of which are indicated at B) which only pass part of the way through thegarment material so that they do not show 'at the front of the garment. Y

In 'order to prevent the edge of the garment material at the lapel from stretching during use, it is customary to provide a reinforcing .tape 8 which extends along the edge 44 of the lapel around the corner 5 and then downwardly along the edge S nearly tothe bottom of the lapel. The opposite edges of this tape 8 are stitched to the garment material byr seams 9 and IIJ, respectively. The tape 8 is usually of woven, narrow-ware textile fabric having selvage edges, and is firm and strong and resistant to longitudinal stress. VThe ytape is drawn from a supply and progressively delivered so as to extend along the edge of the garment material as the sewing operation proceeds. The stitches which form the seam 9 are through-andthrough stitches passing completely through the tape and canvas I and also through the full thickness of the garment material I (Fig. 2). On the other hand, the stitches of the seam Il), which secure the inner edge of the tape, are blind stitches which do not pass completely through the garment material I. These stitches may pass only through the canvas l (Fig. 2) orl through the canvas and through a portion of the thickness of the garment material I (Fig. 2a). Usually in making the garment, the material which is to form the rear ply I I of the lapel and which is usually like the material forming the breast portion of the garment, is united to the material I -along the edge of the lapel by the same seam 9 which attaches thetape 8. In stitching the parts together they are arranged, as illustrated in Fig. 2, with the garment material I superposed on the rear ply II;.with the canvas `I resting on the material I andthe tape disposed on the canvas.

The operation of securing the tape and the other parts together may be carried out by hand, although it would ordinarily be carried out by the 4 use of a sewing machine. In the past the seams 9 and I0 have been formed successively, requiring two separate and independent operations, and when a machine was used, the employment of two different machines.

The stitches forming the seam 9 are usually quite ne, that is tosay, from 12 to 14 per linear inch, and the stitches are formed with the thread under substantial tension in order to vmake a firm seam and to secure the parts closely together. The formation of such a seam comprising closely spaced stitches drawn under substantial tension tends to shorten the edge `of the tape 8 so that the opposite edge of the tape tends to curl, and in forming the seam AIl) the tape must be laid down smoothly vand pulled taut transversely in order that it may be flat and thus avoid the formation of a lumpy lapel. Usually the stitches forming the seam I 0 are much coarser than those forming the seam 9, for example, a blind stitch seam may have only 3 or 4 stitches per inch.

In accordance with the present invention, and in order to avoid the twisting and distortion of the tape above referred to, it is proposed toV form the seams 9 and I@ simultaneously. Thus, if the operation be carried out by hand. the operator, using the customary straight needle, will make 3 or 4 of the stitches of the seam 9 and then, using another needle and thread, will make a stitch of the seam IEB. He will then make vv3 or 4 more stitches of the seam 9 and another stitch of the seam I0, etc., progressing from one end of the tape to the other. In this waythe. tape is anchored simultaneously at itscpposite edges to the garment material so that the tape is not initially distorted, :and in the nishedfgarment has no tendency'to' pull the lapel out of. proper shape. 'v.`

If the operation is to be carried out by a sewing machine, apparatus such as generally suggested in Fig. 6 may be employed. vSuch apparatus, in the nature of a duplex sewing machine', would comprise the usual thread tension and work feed (not shown) Vand the usual needle bar I2 carrying the straight needle. I3 cooperating-with customary parts, such as a `looper or bobbin (not shown) to form the through-and-through stitches of the seam 9. Preferably a trimming'knife I4 would be secured to theA needlebar'so. as to trim ofi surplus materialT (Fig. 6) from the edge of the lapel as the operation proceeds.

A curved needle I5 mounted upon a yoke It oscillated byV appropriate mechanism, for example, as illustratedin the. patent to Lewis, No. 1,172,812, dated February 22, 191,.and cooperatingwith other usualelements ycfa blind stitch sewing machine, including a looper or bobbin, not shown (dependent upon whether a chain orlock stitch is to be formed) may be employed in forming the seam I0. An appropriate blind stitch seam Vis illustrated at IU invFig. 5,-this being a chain -stitch typeof seam using a single thread. Preferably such a machine would be provided with means for progressively feeding the tape 8 in proper relation to the needles/such-tape-feeding devices being well known in the sewing machine art, and the machine would likewise be provided with a presser foot (not shown) for holding the work in position as the stitches are formed, and with appropriate feed mechanism ,for advancing the work. Since the blind stitches forming the Vvseam I0 are less in number per inch than the stitches-oftheseamY 9;, suitable reduction gearing connections wouldbe provided so that the Y* needle l5 would be actuated once for several oscillations of the needlel3. Preferably,fin such a machine operation, the blind stitch needle l5 would penetrate the Work at the same time that y the needle i3 is penetrating the work, but this is not essential to the proper formation of the seams.

After the seams 9 and I0 have been formed, the material forming the lapel is turned, as shown at Fig. 4, thus disposing the lining or reinforcing canvas 1 as well as the seams 9 and I0 within the thickness of the lapel so that they are invisible, it being noted that the stitches of the seam I0. do not pass through the material I of the garment so that there is no seam visible at the front of the lapel, the finished lapel appearing at the front, as shown in Fig. 3.

While, as above suggested, there will usually be 3 orY 4 of the through-and-through stitches of the seam 9 for each blind stitch of the seam I0, the relative number of stitches forming the two seams is of no substantial consequence so far v as the present invention is concerned, the invention being directed to the simultaneous formation of these seams so as thereby to avoid twisting or curling of the reinforce tape and incidentally speeding up production if the operation be carried out by means. of a duplex sewing machine such as above suggested.

As above specically suggested, the.Y present r` garment part by laying theV tape progressively along one edge of the garment part and, while so progressively'laying the tape, uniting one edge of the Ytapeto the garment part by through'-and through stitches all'of substantially the same predetermined length and made by a straight sewing needle while concomitantly uniting the opposite edge ofthe tape to the garment part by blind stitches made by the use of a curved needle, the

latter stitches all being of substantially the same length but exceeding the throughfand-through stitches in length so as to provide more stitches per linear inch in one seam than in the other, said blind stitches passing through the tape but failing t0 pass completely through the material of the garment part, the opposite edges of the tape being progressively anchored to the garment as the sewing operation proceeds in order that there is no chance for the tape to be unduly contracted along one edge so as to curl or twist before its opposite edge is properly anchored. HYMAN KOPPEL.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent: j

UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,588,131 Mueller June 8, 1926 

